Shipping-crate



B. A. STAMP.

SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLl-CATION-FILED MAR. 6. 1919. 1,362,645.' Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

B. A. STAMP.

SHIPPING CRATE. A'PPLICATloN FILED MAR. 6. 1919.

1,362,645, Patented Dec. 21,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PcrENT OFFICE.

BURNIE A. STAMP, OF NORTH BRADDOOK, FENNSYLVANIA. *i

SHIPPING-CRATE.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BURNIE A. STAMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Braddock, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain' new and useful Improvements in Shipping-Crates, of which the following is a specication. l

My invention relates to knock-down shipping crates. Crates embodying my invention are particularly well adapted for the shipment of chickens and other birds, although they are not limited to this particular use. Y l

One object of my invention is the provision of a knock-down crate which is rugged in construction, yet which occupies the smallest possible amount of space when folded.

I will describe one form of crate embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying' drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevationone form of crate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing the crate illustrated in Fig. l but looking` at the latter from the right-hand side. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. 'Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the crate shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 is a view showing in end elevation a hasp 14 used in locking the crate shown in the preceding views. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5, and showing in detail the locking device of which the hasp 14 forms a part. Fig. 8 is a view showing in front elevation the device shown in Fig. 5 for latching the door E in the closed position, the shield 22 being removed. Figs. 9 and 10 are views showing in front and top elevation, respectively, a device which may be employed for locking the door E in closed position.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in eachof the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, the crate comprises a bottom member A, two oppositely disposed side members B and Ba, two other oppositely disposed .side members G and Ca, and a top member D.

The bottom member A is preferably a flat piece of wood, whereas yeach of the side Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.21, 1920.

applicati@ filed March 6, 1919. serial No. 280,921.

members, as here shown, comprises a rectangular frame 2 provided with a number of bars or slats 3. The top member D is of special construction, as will be explained hereinafter.

The two side members B and Ba are attached by hinges H to cleats 5 and 5a, respectively, which cleats are mounted on the upper surface of the bottom member A. Each of the hinges H is formed l(see Fig. 3) by cutting away the cleat 5 except' for a centrally disposed pin 6, and passing around this pin a .strap 7 of sheet metal the ends of which are attached by screws 8 to a recess in the vsurface of frame 2. The height of each cleat 5, and the location of lthe pin 6 are such that when the side members B and Ba are swung inwardly they lie flatv against the bottom member A.

The two side members C and Ca are attached to cleats 4 and 4a by hinges H which are similar to hinges H. These cleats are higher 'than vcleats 5 and 5a, however, and are of such height that when the side members B and Ba are folded down against the bottom member, the side members 'C and C may likewise be swung inwardly and will lie Hat against members B and Ba.

rlhe top member Dis hingedly and slidably attached to the side member C by means which I will now explain, referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 4. The cleat 4 is provided with two notches 10 to accommodate two straps 9, each of which is shaped as shown in Fig. 4. The lower end of each strap passes horizontally through notch 10 and is bent upwardly at its end so that it can be attached by screws 12 tothe inner side of the lower strut of the frame of side member C. The upper end of the strap passes horizontally through a slot 11 in the frame of top member D, and is then bent downwardly and attached to the inner face of the frame of .side member C by screws 121. It will be seen that by virtue of this construction the top member D can be swung upwardly so' that it is parallel to side member C, and can then be slid downwardly or t'elescoped with respect to member C.`

The manipulation of the parts of the crate thus far described, is as follows: To fold the crate, the top member D is first swung upwardly and then slid straight down on the straps 9 so that it is parallel with and lies flat against side member C. The side members B and Ba are then'l .folded inwardly until they rest against' the bottom member A. The next step is to fold member C inwardly so that it rests on top of members B and B, and the last step is to fold the side member C inwardly, carrying with it the top D, so that member C rests on top of members B and B The top member D then rests iiat against members C and C, and covers no more/area than does the bottom member A.

The crate is opened by a sequence of operations which will be self-evident from the foregoing.

To prevent the crate from collapsing accidentally while in the set-up condition, the side members are provided with a number of ears 13. Two of these ears are attached to the two ends respectively of each side member C and C, as shown in Fig. 1, and project into the path of members B and B to prevent the latter members from being swung out beyond vertical positions with respect to the bottom member A. Each side member B and B is provided with similar ears 13 which project into the path of the top member D and so prevent these side members from swinging inwardly from the vertical positions. It will be seen, therefore, that the ears thus far referred to serve to lock the side members B and B in vertical positions. It remains only to prevent the side member C from swinging outwardly beyond the vertical position, and this is accomplished by ears 13b attached to the inner surface of the frame of this member, as shown in Fig. 1.

Any suitable means may be provided for clasping the top member D to the side mem-i ber C when the crate is set up. As here shown, this means comprises a hasp 14 and an eyelet 15. As shown in Figs. 5 and G, the hasp 14 is hinged to the top member D and is provided with a slot 14. One corner of the projecting end of the hasp is bent outwardly at right angles as shown at 14", and this corner is provided with a hole 14C. The eyelet 15 is formed as shown'in Fig. 7, and comprises a piece of wire passing through a hole in the frame of the side member C. The two ends of this eyelet are bent at right angles to the middle portion, and the end having the eye is on the outside of member C To clasp the top member to the side member, the eyeletis turned so that theouter end is in a vertical position, the hasp 14 is then swungdownwardly so that the eye projects through slot 14, and finally the eyelet is swung around until the eye rests against the upturned corner 141. The eye then registers with hole 14, so that the crate can be sealed, if desired, by passing an ordinary wire seal through thev eye and thel hole 14".

In order to clasp the crate when in knockedfdown condition, the cleat 4 is provided with a second eyelet 15 (see Fig. 1) which registers with the hasp 14 when the crate is folded, and which coperates with the hasp in the same manner as eyelet 15.

vWhen a knock-down crate is used for the Vtransportation of chickens or other birds,

it is desirable that means be provided for removing and inserting the birds without fully opening the crate. For this reason, I preferably provide the top member D with a door E, as shown in Fig. 5. Referring to this view, the top member comprises a frame 2, and is provided with cross struts 17 and 17 which form a rectangular opening in the center. The door E fits in this opening and comprises a frame 2 which is attached to one of the cross struts by hinges 19. The frame 2 carries two fixed slats 3, and a third slat 3b which is pivotally mounted in the frame at 16. This pivoted slat passes through a slot 18 in the door frame, and cooperates with a slot 2l in the cross strut 17, which slot is shaped as shown in Fig. 8. Vhen the door is closed, the slat 3b is at the inner or closed end of slot 21 as shown in Fig. 8, being biased to this position by a spring 20. To open the door, the pivoted slat is swung to the right so that it passes out of the open end of slot 21. The door is closed and latched by a reverse operation.

The slat 3b may be v'secured in the latching position, if desired, by the device shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This device comprises a shield 22 pivotally mounted at 22 on the strut 17 and having a slot 22b which receives the free end of slat 3". This shield also has an outwardly bent ear 22c which seats against a member 23 attached to and projecting from the under side of the strut 17. The ear 22C and member 28 are provided with registering holes through which a wire seal may be passed. The door may, of course, be openedby swinging the shield upwardly around its pivotal point, and may be locked in closed position by the reverse operation.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of crate embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A poultry crate having a door in one wall, said door comprising a frame carrying a plurality of slats, one of said slats being pivotally mounted in one side of the frame and projecting through a vslot in the opposite side, a notch in the body of the crate registering with said slot and adapted to receive said pivoted slat to latch the door Y 2. A poultry crate having a door in one attached tothe body of said crate for re- Wall, said door comprising a frame carrytaining said pivoted slat in latching posiing a plurality of slats, one of said slats tion. v being pivotally mounted in one side of the In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature 5 frame and projectinghthrough alt) sot irfl te in presence of two Witnesses. v

opposite side, a notc in the o y o t e crate registering With said slot and adapted BURNIE A' TAMP' to receive said pivoted slat to latch the door Witnesses: in closed position, a spring biasing said Slat N. HERMAN WEGNER, 10 to latching position, and a shield pivotally E. P. CRUM. 

